The ECOWAS Court of Justice has received the instrument designating Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice as the Competent National Authority for the enforcement of the decisions of the court in the Republic of Ghana.

A statement issued by the Court on Thursday said that the instrument is a pre-requisite for the implementation of the decisions of the court in member-states.

President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the appointment on Oct. 21, 2019, while declaring open a four-day international conference of the Court held in Accra, Ghana.

The letter dated June 11, 2020, and formally conveying the appointment said it is ‘pursuant to Article 24(4) of the Protocol A/P.1/7/91 relating to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (as amended by the Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/01/05).

The Article requires the Member States to ‘determine the competent national authority for the purpose of receipt and processing of execution,’ of such decisions, and ‘notify the Court accordingly.”

With the designation, Ghana joined Burkina Faso, Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, and Togo as the sixth ECOWAS Member State to appoint their national authority for the enforcement of the decisions of the Court.

The President of the Court, Justice Edward Amoako said the designation and formal letter represent important steps in the continuing effort to improve on the mechanism for the enforcement of the decisions of the Court in the Member States.

He expressed the gratitude of the Court to the President of Ghana for this ‘latest demonstration of the country’s commitment to regional integration and the effective functioning of its institutions which play important roles towards the realization of the objectives of the Community.

“By this action, the President has contributed significantly to strengthening the Court in the discharge of its mandate as well as the promotion of the rule of law and protection of human rights, which has become its defining mandate,” the President of the Court added.